The Small Things That End The WorldBy Jeanette Lynes It’s 1954, and Sadie Wilder just got the call she’s been waiting for. Her friend, Wanda, has the mumps, and the rich family she babysits for is desperate. So begins Jeanette Lynes’ The Small Things that End the World. Sadie is more than happy to fill […]
The Mystery of Black Hollow LaneBy Julia Nobel Emmy is a lonely kid. Her mother, a so-called parenting expert, is so busy that she doesn’t have much time for Emmy. Her father disappeared when she was three, and Emmy’s mother won’t talk about him – in fact, she has disposed of everything her father owned. […]
Ice Ghosts: The Epic Hunt for the Lost Franklin Expedition by: Paul Watson In 1845, 129 brave crewmen set out to find the elusive Northwest Passage. These men were the most prepared, technologically advanced expedition of their time, confident that if the Northwest Passage existed, they were the ones who would find it. Unfortunately, […]
A World BelowBy Wesley King Eric, Silvia and the rest of Mr. Baker’s eighth grade class are less than excited about their field trip to Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico. The students think that geology and cave exploration is rather boring. Mr. Baker, however, is thrilled about their trip inside this natural phenomenon; he’s studied […]
Choosing a favourite between Neil Gaiman’s books is akin to choosing a favourite snowflake. They are all different, and equally beautiful. Each book has its own distinctive voice, and each has something to say about the reality we live in and what it means to be human. But one of Gaiman’s stories that is very […]
Hysteria Hysteria by Elisabeth de Mariaffi The dictionary definition of Hysteria — exaggerated or uncontrollable emotion or excitement, describes well the experiences of Heike Lerner, the main character in Elisabeth de Mariaffi’s novel with this title. The story begins with Heike and her younger sister escaping from Nazi Germany. It is a brutal trek […]
Ghosts of Greenglass HouseBy Kate Milford Milo Pine and his family return in this follow-up story to Greenglass House. One year has passed since Milo’s first mystery. Christmas is rapidly approaching but there is still no snow. To make matters worse, Milo is having trouble with his teacher, and school is really stressing him out. […]
The Two-Family HouseBy Lynda Cohen Loigman It’s 1947, and Brooklyn housewives Helen and Rose share many things. Married to brothers Abe and Mort, the two women are friends and confidantes. Both families even live in the same house – Abe, Helen and their four boys live upstairs, while Rose, Mort and their three girls live […]
By Barbara Kingsolver Things have not been going well for the Knox family. Willa, a middle aged journalist, has been let go from her job, right after her husband lost his teaching job. Her gravely ill father in law has been put into their care, their 26 year old daughter has moved back home, […]
by Kathleen Flinn I don’t usually read a lot of non-fiction, especially memoirs and biographies, but this one was recommended to me so I thought I would give it a try. Burnt Toast Makes You Sing Good is the story of the author’s childhood, family and the food they shared, the two often inextricably linked. […]